Residence: Elmwood Township
Profession: Online Professor
Member since: 2005

Why are you a member of TART Trails?
We use the TART Trails daily…walking, biking, snowshoeing…winter, spring, summer, fall. The trails are always there, any time of the day or night! We walk our Westie, Jack, practically every day – it’s a safe place for him to walk and meet new friends!

On what trail(s) do you spend most of your time? What’s your favorite trail activity?
I think we’ve been on all the trails from end to end but we frequently start by Carter Road (Elmwood Township) and head up the Leelanau Trail and also from Carter Road into town. We use it mostly for dog walking and snowshoeing! Additionally, we bike and love to use it as our main means of transportation to avoid summer traffic! We can be home more quickly on bikes than in a car after Cherry Fest and Film Fest events!

What do you think non-motorized trails add to our community?
They offer a safe alternative to driving. It’s an inexpensive way to get around town and a way to avoid the increasing level of traffic! More importantly, we meet many super nice people and four-legged friends on the TART Trails! When you meet another person on the trail it’s as if you both share a great secret – you’re both out enjoying a nice walk, ride, etc. while the rest of the world carries on around you!

What new trail or trail improvement would you like to see added to our area’s trail network?
I would love it if the Boardman Lake Trail went around Boardman Lake in its entirety!

Share a story from the trails with us.
There are so many! Most recently, we did this year’s Turkey TART which is great fun for a great cause (supports expansion of the trail around the lake)! There’s something for everyone at the Turkey TART…runners and walkers alike! We walked with Jack and his friend Oliver on a gorgeous snow-covered trail Thanksgiving morning. Thanks for hosting this event – it’s a great way to start what can sometimes be a crazed day!